Interstellar travel, galactic cannibalism and Martian beer

Apr 20, 2016 06:14 am UTC| Science

Every other Monday morning I get to chat on ABC Breakfast News TV and try to remember that not everyone at 7.30am is as excited about exploding stars or colliding galaxies as I am. This week in space with astronomer...

Big data has not revolutionised medicine – we need big theory alongside it

Apr 20, 2016 06:10 am UTC| Science Technology

Science rests on data, of that there can be no doubt. But peer through the hot haze of hype surrounding the use of big data in biology and you will see plenty of cold facts that suggest we need fresh thinking if we are to...

All of humanity should share in the space mining boom

Apr 18, 2016 08:21 am UTC| Science

One solitary asteroid might be worth trillions of dollars in platinum and other metals. Exploiting these resources could lead to a global boom in wealth, which could raise living standards worldwide and potentially benefit...

Telling people apart: new test reveals wide variation in how well we recognise faces

Apr 15, 2016 23:58 pm UTC| Science

Its three oclock and you are picking up your son from school. The bell rings. A class of six-year-olds charges out of the building. And you have absolutely no idea which child is your son. They all look exactly the...

Living in a bubble: inflatable modules could be the future of space habitats

Apr 15, 2016 01:27 am UTC| Science

The astronauts of the International Space Station welcomed the arrival of what we call the Bigelow Bungalow, officially known as the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) on April 10. If all goes to plan, the...

How does an invisible underwater crater prove an asteroid killed the dinosaurs?

Apr 14, 2016 16:31 pm UTC| Science

A team of scientists recently set off to drill a 1,500m-deep hole into the seabed off the coast of Mexico. Their goal is to learn more about the asteroid impact some 66m years ago that many scientists believe killed the...

How long before we can transplant an animal's heart in a human?

Apr 14, 2016 15:11 pm UTC| Science

The announcement that researchers in the US kept a genetically engineered pigs heart beating in a baboon for nearly three years has, in some quarters, revived speculation about the prospect of pig organs being suitable for...